Looking at old Oscar photos is incredibly sentimental, especially those from the 1970s. Instead of being merely an industry event, these images offer a glimpse into a period when the Academy Awards were a spectacular show that captivated millions of people worldwide.
The stars of that era were almost legendary, and their attendance at the Oscars added a certain allure that appears to have faded with time. There was an air of mystery and refinement to its charm.
Photographs from this period, especially those taken in the mid-1970s, depict a time when everything was different and Hollywood seemed untouchable, but its stars were well-known and contributed elegance and substance to the big screen.
One such example of this is 1975. Despite the passage of several decades, the splendor, political remarks, and controversies surrounding the 47th Academy Awards continue to make it a noteworthy event. An important turning point in American history occurred that year.
Hollywood was increasingly caught between art and action, the Vietnam War was ending, and social movements were transforming the nation. Because of this, the 1975 Oscars did more than just reward films; they also symbolized the cultural struggles of the day.
Dustin Hoffman was one of the main characters of the evening. In the biographical film Lenny, Hoffman was not in the mood to celebrate being nominated for the role of Lenny Bruce. Hoffman, who is well-known for being a vocal critic of the Academy Awards’ glitz and glamour, termed the event “grotesque” and “ugly,” comparing it to a pageant for beauty. He was nominated for Best Actor for his performance, but his disdain for the night was evident in the manner he distanced himself from the glitz that surrounded him.
Some awkward situations resulted from Hoffman’s critical attitude. The show’s host, Frank Sinatra, made fun of Hoffman’s attitude by joking that if he won, “he’s going to have a friend pick it up for him—George C. Scott.”
Scott’s famous denial of his 1971 Best Actor award for Patton was the subject of the reference. Sinatra’s comment, however, was not seen humorous by the audience, a sign that the Oscars’ humor was starting to clash with the times’ increasing gravity.
The dull performance Sinatra gave on stage added to the strain. Although he was well-known for his magnetism, Sinatra struggled to execute his lines, appeared rather drunk, and made several awkward references to his Italian roots.
The crowd was also criticized by journalists, including Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times, who noted that Sinatra was jeered at one point, which is almost unheard of for the popular artist.
Instances such as the one that occurred during the 1975 ceremony often disprove the notion that the Oscars were less political in previous decades. The award for Best Documentary went to Bert Schneider, the filmmaker of the Vietnam War documentary Hearts & Minds. His winning speech brought the Vietnam War, which had caused years of division in the country, into the public eye.
In a message that Schneider read aloud, Viet Cong Ambassador Dinh Ba Thi commended the American anti-war movement “for all they have done on behalf of peace”. Unusual for the Oscars, this occurrence did not sit well with everyone in the crowd. Schneider’s comments particularly infuriated Bob Hope, a longtime supporter of the Vietnam War.
Within an hour, Hope sent a response, which Sinatra then read to the audience, indicating that the Academy disapproved of the political statements made during the concert. Shirley MacLaine, one of the co-hosts of the event, publicly reprimanded Hope for this, stressing that she did not speak for the Academy as a whole.
Warren Beatty also contributed his voice, drawing a clear distinction between the more progressive voices in Hollywood and the elite of the industry with a scathing, “Thank you, Frank, you old Republican.”
One of the few moments of grace that occurred throughout the evening’s political tensions was Ingrid Bergman’s acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actress. For her role in Murder on the Orient Express, Bergman was receiving a standing ovation, even though she had been rejected by Hollywood years before for her relationship with director Roberto Rossellini. As a 59-year-old icon, Bergman’s triumph was viewed by many as a sort of atonement and Hollywood’s admission of its historical wrongdoings.
Speaking modestly during her acceptance speech, Bergman claimed that another nominee, Valentina Cortese, was more deserving of the award. In her remarks, she expressed both her own humility and the general embarrassment Hollywood still felt about its treatment of her during the height of her notoriety in the late 1940s.
Yet, rather than the winners or the political speeches, the most lasting image of the 1975 Oscars may be the fairly ordinary photo of Jon Voight and Raquel Welch. That evening, the two celebrities were responsible for announcing the Best Cinematography award as presenters.
Standing next Voight was Welch, who looked lovely in a deep pink gown and a traditional black tuxedo. Collectively, they embodied the glamour of the day and were the pinnacle of Hollywood high society.
In the last few years, nonetheless, this image has gained controversy. Social media users have scrutinized Voight’s stance, with some contending that his hold on Welch is outdated by today’s norms. While one critic thought Welch was uncomfortable, another remarked, “Jon’s looking like a creep.”
Nonetheless, a comparable proportion of respondents endorsed the image, citing the shift in social mores throughout the 1970s. “If you weren’t around then, you have no opinion,” one person added. Given that modern sensibilities typically clash with traditional norms, the discrepancy in reactions demonstrates how our cultural perspective has evolved over time.
Glitz and shame, political announcements and personal triumphs—the 47th Academy Awards was a night of opposites. The renowned personalities of vintage Hollywood shared the stage with the more outspoken, forward-thinking voices of the younger generation on that particular evening. Although the event itself captured a moment of change, the films that were shown that night—including The Godfather Part II—were timeless.
We are still influenced by the images from that night, not just because they are stunning but also because of what they reveal about Hollywood, politics, and society at the time. On the world’s most glamorous stage, glamour and activism were beginning to collide, and the 1975 Oscars continue to be regarded as a window into a period that was in between the old and the new.
